A Second Chance
by crimson-ravyn
Summary: Word is spreading around Central that the Elrics are no longer the talk of the town. A new alchemist is taking their place and he’s willing to give the Elrics a second chance to see their mother. His name: Asakura Hao. (FMAShaman King crossover)
1. First Impressions

A/N: The beginning is in the FMA world, but I'm planning on switching to the Shaman King world later. I'll try not to make a random switch though. I'll make some kind of transition, but I still don't know if I'm going to continue this. Mustang is kind of OOC too. Sorry.

Summary: Word is spreading around Central that the Elrics are no longer the talk of the town. A new alchemist is taking their place and he's rumored to be able to speak to the dead, even bring them back. Best of all, he's willing to give the Elrics a second chance to see their mother. That is, if they help him out. His name: Asakura Hao. (FMA/Shaman King crossover)

Disclaimer: If I owned either of these animes, I would not be writing a fanfic about them so no, I do not own Shaman King or Fullmetal Alchemist.

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A Second Chance 

Chapter 1: First Impressions

Central is not a homey place, especially when you don't want to be there. Nobody knows this better than Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, known as the dog of the military that sides with the people. Truth be told, Central was not nearly as bad as he often made it sound, but there was a certain unease that came with entering it. However, even now, the famous alchemist was complaining about having to be in the one place he claimed to hate most.

"Al, remind me why I am here again." In his looks, Ed was nothing out of the ordinary. With a head of braided blond hair that reached his mid-back and his traditional black clothes under a red overcoat, he was no more intriguing than the next person. At least, that is what I would love to be able to say. Unfortunately, Ed was, shall we say, a bit vertically challenged. You know, a touch on the short side, a teeny bit less than normal in terms of height. Oh, to hell with it! Ed was what some people call a midget, but a midget prodigy nonetheless.

Anyway, so here was Ed, walking sulkily through the corridors of Central with his younger-but-much-taller brother, Alphonse Elric, complaining and whining like there was no tomorrow. And there was Al, listening to it all, without a single word to say. He just clunked along in his suit of armor, agreeing here and there so as not to anger his brother.

"I bet you Mustang doesn't even have any news for me. I bet he was just lying to get a chance to make fun of me," Ed rambled. "We'll walk into the room and he'll be like 'Oh, hello Alphonse, where's your brother? I was under the impression that he was coming with you. Wait, what is that I see there? Oh, sorry Ed, but I couldn't see you beneath the height of the table'," he continued, giving Al an impression along with the words.

Meanwhile, Al was thinking about the situation seriously. What was so important that Colonel Mustang would rush them back to Central from the East District so fast? "Ne, nii-san…"

Ed stopped in the middle of his second impression. "Nani?"

"Did Mustang-san tell you why he wanted us here so quickly?"

Ed looked uncertain for a minute. "Ie. At least, not that I know of."

Al nodded, retreating back into silence.

"Why?"

"Well, I just thought it might have to do with that rumor that we heard on the train…"

Flashback

"_Hello, sirs. Is there anything I can get you?"_

_Ed looked up. Standing right next to him was one of the train's attendants, looking at him with questioning eyes._

_He grinned, "Something to eat would be nice."_

_The woman smiled back and nodded. "Of course." She glanced at Al who was staring out the window, admiring the beauty of nature. "What about your older brother? Does he want anything?"_

_Now normally, Ed wasn't one for drawing attention, but any slur about his height could not go unpunished. He jumped out of his seat and glared at the woman. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT YOU COULDN'T SEE HIM BETWEEN THE FIBERS OF THE SEAT?" he demanded, fuming._

_It was then that Al finally took notice of the woman. Quickly grabbing Ed's arms and holding him back, he turned to the surprised woman. "Gomen, demo nii-san is very sensitive about his height. If you could just bring some food, that would be great."_

_The woman nodded again, but slowly this time. After mumbling a thank you, she turned and fled down the aisle._

_After Ed had calmed down and again had control over his emotions, Al let go of him and sat back down. He looked at his brother and sighed. "Nii-san, you really should stop doing that. Soon you'll be known as the schizo alchemist rather than the Fullmetal Alchemist."_

_Ed shifted his glare to Al._

"_I'm just saying," Al said, immediately defensive. "Just think about it."_

_The two of them sat in silence, listening to the conversations around them for a while. They continued to listen without interest until they both hit upon the same exchange of dialogue._

"_Hey, wasn't that the Fullmetal Alchemist?" The speaker was a young woman who was chatting with her friend._

_Ed smiled. If there was one thing he loved about being the Fullmetal Alchemist, it was the touch of fame._

"_Yeah, wow! I never thought I'd see a state-alchemist. Oh! Did you hear though? There's a new alchemist whose been traveling around. Word says he's really hot," her friend replied. "I want to meet him."_

_Ed scowled. Who was this unknown alchemist stealing his fame?_

"_No, I've never heard anything about him," the first girl said, excited. "What's he like?"_

"_Well, he's supposed to have long dark hair and a really nice body. You know, the tall, dark, and handsome type." The first girl giggled and her friend hushed her. "Oh stop. Anyway, they say that he can talk to spirits of the dead along with doing alchemy, too. He's even rumored to be able to bring them back from the dead. Someone said they saw him do it," the girl said, an adept at gossip._

_Ed's and Al's eyes widened. Well, Ed's did anyway. They glanced at each other and then focused back on the conversation, not caring that they were eavesdropping. However, the woman from before had come with the food and interrupted._

"_I have your food. If there's anything else you need, just call." She set down the plate of food. _

_Ed sighed, annoyed. The dishes on the platter were jingling and he couldn't hear a word of the conversation. Eager to get back to eavesdropping, he muttered a hurried thanks, but his tone was rather demeaning. The woman took the comment offensively and left with a huff, creating more noise as she made her way back down the aisle she had come from._

_Finally, Ed could hear the two girls again, but their discussion about the unknown alchemist was practically over. The last thing that he heard was a name: "Asakura Hao."_

End Flashback

Al looked at his brother. Ed had been quiet for a while, and that was strange in and of itself. Ed and quiet didn't usually go together, even when he was in a bad mood. Eventually though, Ed broke the silence.

"Maybe," he mused, "but it's unlikely. After all, it's just a rumor. There's probably no such person as _Asakura Hao_. And even if there was, I doubt the rumors about his abilities with the dead are true."

Al seemed depressed for a moment. "You never know. A lot of things happen that were never meant to happen or never should have happened."

There was no arguing with that, Ed thought. The two of them were living evidence. "There's no point of dwelling on it. We'll find out as soon as we get there so we might as well hurry up and get to Mustang's office."

"You're right, nii-san," Al agreed. "Come on, let's hurry up. We're late already anyway."

The two brothers sprinted through the building, turning sharply around corners and nimbly dodging people. They ignored the comments that were shouted at them and kept running until they reached a door that read: Colonel Mustang – Flame Alchemist. Taking a few deep breaths, they slowed their breathing. Al nodded to Ed and he opened the door, leading the way in.

Mustang was sitting behind his desk, reading documents with Lieutenant Hawkeye watching him when the Elrics entered. As the door shut, Mustang set down the papers he was holding and looked up at the two of them. "Took you long enough, Hagane no," he said, waving them in.

Ed scowled and sat down on the couch, making himself comfortable. Al, in turn, thanked Mustang and sat across from Ed, ever the polite one of the two brothers.

"So," Ed began, wanting to get right down to business.

"So indeed," Roy said. "You're wondering why you're here, I assume?"

Al nodded. "Hai."

"Well, there's been a rumor going around about an alchemist traveling the country, raising the dead," Roy began before Ed interrupted him.

"We've heard, but what does he have to do with us?" Ed wanted to know.

Roy sighed. "You'll know if you shut up and listen." He ignored Ed's glare and continued on saying, "This alchemist came in a couple of weeks ago saying that he wanted to take the state alchemy test. The only problem was that we have no idea where he's from or if he has any other intentions."

"He didn't tell you where he was from?" Al asked.

"Actually, truth be told, he did, but we'd never heard of it before," Roy admitted.

Ed snorted. "And they say Central has the best records in the world," he scoffed.

"We do, but have you ever heard of a place called…" Roy looked at Risa questioningly.

"Tokyo, Japan," she supplied after rifling through a stack of papers she was holding.

Ed was silent. Seeing at the look of confusion on his face, Roy laughed. "And so the Fullmetal Alchemist has met his match."

"Did you let him take the test?" Al asked, going back to the original subject.

The Flame Alchemist nodded. "He passed it with flying colors. He was as good as Ed when he took it. Maybe even better."

Ed scowled. This alchemist was getting on his nerves. "So what do you want us to do about it?"

Roy smiled. "Well, seeing as he is a new state alchemist and very new to this, _and_ we know nothing of this Tokyo, Japan where he is from, we are going to send you to investigate his homeland with him as your guide."

"WHAT?" Ed shouted, shooting out of his seat. "We can't do that. What about our mission, or have you forgotten? We're trying to find the philosopher's stone?"

Roy shook his head. "I haven't forgotten."

"Then what makes you think that we'll go on this mission?" Ed demanded.

"The fact that you might be able to see your mom again," Roy replied, quietly.

"Well think again! If you think we're just going to—wait, what did you say?"

"We might get to see okaa-san again?" Al whispered.

Mustang nodded, his eyes sad. "You don't have to take the mission if you don't want to, but I thought I should ask first," he said. "I'm not completely sure if you'll be able to see your mother though, so think seriously about this. All the information we have about his abilities with spirits is rumors. However, judging by his skill and strength, it may be true. However, if it isn't, you could end up just wasting time."

There was silence in the room for what seemed like an eternity. Al looked like he had seen a ghost and Ed was having a mental breakdown of sorts. His eyes were wide as saucers and he was trembling like mad. Al looked at his brother with half-worried and half-pleading eyes.

"What should we do, nii-san?" he asked, his voice even softer than before.

Ed laid his head in his hands, staring at the ground. "I don't know Al. What _can_ we do?"

Roy looked at the two of them and waved Hawkeye over to the door. They walked out, leaving the brothers alone again and the room was quiet again, almost deathly so.

"Nii-san?" Al's voice sounded scared, like this might be the last decision he would ever make.

Ed voice was harsh in comparison. "What is it?"

"I…" Al's voice died away. Taking a deep breath, he tried again, "I think we sh-should do it. I would never forgive myself if I had a chance to see okaa-san and I m-missed it. We still have the rest of our lives to find the stone, but this may be our only chance to see okaa-san again."

"I know, but what if we can't see her, Al? We'll have lost time. Our information will be obsolete. We'll have to come back here and start over, from scratch," Ed said.

Al voice was shaking when he answered, "B-but don't you th-think it's worth the risk?"

Ed didn't answer. He was thinking the same thing as Al, but he wasn't so sure if it was the right choice. Raising his head, he studied Al. He could see the loneliness in his brother's eyes and could hear the pleading in his voice. That settled it. "Okay, we'll go. For okaa-san, we'll go." He got up and opened the door. Roy and Risa were standing outside, discussing something, but they stopped as soon as the door creaked open.

"You've decided?" Mustang asked.

Ed nodded and the two came back into the room.

"So you're going?" Hawkeye said.

Ed was surprised. "How did you know?"

"You seem more determined than before," Mustang said. "Sort of like you're bracing yourself for what's to come."

Ed looked at him strangely. "Are you sure you're Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist?" he asked after a minute. "'Cause you seem different to me."

Roy chuckled softly. "Yes Ed, I'm sure." He paused as if he were about to ask something, but thought better of it. "Anyway, while you're on this mission, I need you to keep a close eye on this Asakura Hao. If anything strange happens, tell me."

Ed nodded, agreeing with the Flame Alchemist without a fight for once in a lifetime.

Just then, the door opened again and a man stepped in. He was dressed simply in black pants and a white poncho-like garment. His brown hair fell in a dark waterfall over his shoulders and his eyes were a hard dark brown. He looked amused as he scanned the room and it's inhabitants.

Ed looked him up and down and understanding lit up in his eyes. "Is this…?"

Mustang nodded. "Ed, meet your new partner, Asakura Hao."

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A/N: yeah, okay...i know it's weird, but please review...thankies 


	2. Getting Acquainted

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or Shaman King.

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**A Second Chance**

Chapter 2: Getting Acquainted

Ed looked at the man in front of him in disbelief, all of his earlier uneasiness gone. "Are you serious? _This_ is Asakura Hao? _This_ is the man that has been stealing my fame?" He regarded Hao like a bug that he was about to squash and laughed. "You must be kidding me."

Hao was silent, but the corners of his mouth curled up into a small smile. _This could be easier than I had anticipated_, he thought. "You're not much yourself, shorty," he told Ed, smiling wider when Ed jumped at him, only to be held back by Al.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MIDGET WHO YOU CAN'T SEE WITHOUT A MAGNIFYING GLASS?" Ed demanded, struggling fruitlessly to escape from Al's grip. He pulled at his brother's metal arms, twisting and turning in every direction, but to no avail.

Hao was enjoying the spectacle immensely, but pretended not to notice Ed's current predicament. "You shouldn't be so loud," he murmured, looking away, the corners of his eyes crinkling with mirth. "Someone will think that someone's trying to destroy the building…"

"That's it! Al, let me go! I'm going to give that bastard a piece of my mind," Ed fumed, struggling even harder against his brother's grip.

Suddenly, Ed heard fingers snap and he cringed reflexively, expecting a huge crash to follow, but was met with silence instead. He looked up and saw Hawkeye lower her hand. So it wasn't Mustang snapping. He let out a sigh of relief.

"Hagane no, calm yourself," Roy said authoritatively, breaking the silence. "Asakura-san, have a seat."

The two obeyed, Ed depositing himself unceremoniously onto the couch while Hao settled himself comfortably on the couch across the table.

"You both know why you have been called here. As state alchemists, you are required to complete certain missions for the military; this is being one of them. Asakura-san, you will act as the guide on this mission, as you are most familiar with the land and Ed, you are to be the leader. You will map the land, investigate it, and report back to me when you are finished, understood? Any questions?" The Flame Alchemist regarded his two subordinates with a calm gaze. When they just sat still, not responding, he nodded. "Okay then, just a few more things and then you can leave. Asakura-san, come here."

Hao got up and walked to the Colonel in his relaxed, controlled manner. His hair trailed behind him like a cape and his white poncho-like cloak billowed around him.

Roy waited for Hao to stand in front of him and then motioned to Hawkeye, who reached into his desk and pulled out a round metal object. As she handed it to Mustang, light flickered off of it and Ed recognized it immediately. It was the state alchemist seal.

Roy took the watch and gave it to Hao, who accepted it with a silent smile and deposited it in a random pocket beneath his white cloak.

As soon as the metal disappeared under Hao's cloak, Mustang began to talk again, "As you are no doubt well aware, all state alchemists are given a second name. For example, Ed is known as the _Fullmetal Alchemist_ as I am the _Flame Alchemist_. From now on, you will be known as the _Spirit Alchemist_…"

Hao nodded. The name wasn't all that creative, but it would do. After all, he did not need a big name here. This place was just for more power and influence if he needed it, but that was doubtful. He could probably kill all the humans without the alchemists, especially since he would have Yoh on his side soon. So for now, being well known as Hao Asakura in Tokyo was good enough.

From his position behind Hao, Ed watched this exchange of words with a raised eyebrow, wondering why Hao would be called the Spirit Alchemist if Mustang wasn't even sure if the rumors were true. Pushing the thoughts out of his mind, Ed waited until Roy motioned for him to come forward. When he did, Ed strode up to Mustang's desk where the colonel had seated himself as Hawkeye led Hao out of the room with Al in tow. The two alchemists watched them leave, paying close attention to the newest addition to Mustang's group of subordinates. Finally, the door shut behind the others with a soft click and Roy sighed.

"Regretting taking him on?" Ed questioned, smiling at the resigned look he was being given.

Roy frowned. "Actually, yes in a way, but it's to late to say no now." He looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking his head and turning back to Ed. "Anyway, this is the last time you'll get a chance to change your mind so make sure you know what you're saying. Are you sure you want to take this mission?"

Ed let an exasperated sigh escape him. "When I say something, I mean it," he informed Mustang. _He_ of all people should know that when Ed decided on something, he didn't take it back.

The Flame Alchemist snorted. "Like when you said that you wanted to become a state alchemist, regardless of being a called a dog of the military, and then decided better of it several years later and quote, 'quit'?" he scoffed.

Ed scowled. "That's different."

"I'm sure it is," Roy retorted.

"I don't need to hear this so unless you have anything else of worth to say, I'm leaving." Ed didn't bother waiting for a reply and proceeded to exit the room instead, scowl ever present on his face. As he walked through the double doors on the other side of the office, Mustang smiled at his retreating back.

"Don't let me keep you!" he called after the young alchemist.

* * *

"So, how do we get to this Tokyo, Japan anyway?" Ed asked, yawning widely and eyes squinting shut. He stretched his arms out and collapsed onto the bed beside him. They had been on a rather uneventful train ride to the East District and Ed was not feeling quite so alert anymore.

Finally, the answer came. "Through the gate."

Ed opened an eye to glance at his partner. Despite the long, nearly five-hour road trip, the man's voice was the same as it had been before: calm and even. Ed studied him for a moment, but was unable to penetrate through his mask. "What gate?"

Suddenly, there was a loud crash as Al sat himself on a chair, which immediately broke under the weight of the metal armor.

_We really need to get something better for him to use for a body_, Ed thought. _He can't stay in that suit of armor forever_. That was why they had been looking for the Philosopher's stone. He reached down to help Al up, frowning.

Noticing the frown on his brother's face, Al waved off his help. "I'm fine nii-san," he assured Ed. "And don't worry," he added, whispering. "Everything will work out."

Ed nodded and withdrew his hand, glad that Al was an optimistic person. _But I will find a way to get you back to your normal body_, he vowed silently to Al.

Hearing this thought, Hao came upon an idea. "Why don't you take his spirit out of the armor and let him roam freely without that metal shell?" he asked.

Ed's frown deepened. How did Hao know that Al was just a spirit? "And how would I do that, supposing that it was even possible?" he asked, testing to see if Hao actually knew how to do what he suggested.

The Asakura shook his head at Ed condescendingly and motioned for him to move to the side. Once Ed was out of the way, he kneeled down next to Al and took the helmet off.

Ed watched with curiosity and suspicion as Hao murmured something, but all he could catch was "spirit…" Suddenly, there was a flash of soft white light and a deformed round ball resembling Al's head appeared above Hao's hand, glowing a steady shade of dark green. The armor fell to the ground, clattering, a lifeless heap of metal once again. Ed jumped up in surprise and advanced on Hao, eyes flashing with anger. "What the hell did you do to Al?" he demanded, his gaze darting from side to side, frantically looking for the rest of his brother's body. "If you hurt him in any way, I'll kill—"

He was cut off abruptly when Al's voice cut in, tentative and halting. "N-nii-san?"

Ed's eyes widened. He could hear his brother's voice and could see the Al-shaped head's mouth moving, but couldn't seem to comprehend that the mouth was where the voice was coming from. "Al? Where are you?"

"Here!" Al's shouted, but as he was unable to point, Ed just continued to look around with a confused expression.

Sighing at the blond's obtuseness, Hao held up the hand with Al's spirit on it and stuck it in Ed's face. "Watch," he ordered. As he pulled his hand away from Ed, green tinted winds encircled Al's 'head' and consumed it. Within seconds it was gone, pulled into a small mass of swirling air. Spontaneously, the cyclone of wind burst outwards revealing Al as he was when he still had his body. However, from his hips down, his form curled into a trailing line of smoke.

Ed let out the breath that he had been holding. "Al, is that really you?"

Al didn't know how to respond. "I—I think so."

Ed looked at Hao in disbelief. Although the shaman had gotten up and was currently lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, he seemed to know about everything that was going on around him. Ed watched him for a while as he laid there, breathing comfortably. Unable to decipher anything else about Hao from his countenance alone, he turned back to Al. "Are you okay?"

Al nodded. "It feels different. Kind of soothing actually."

Ed just shook his head, still not completely believing it. "Can you move?"

Al's arms swung up and down and his head turned in every direction possible. "Hai, but I'm not so sure if I can move from one place to another since I don't have legs anymore.

"So it's not that great after all," Ed said, dejected. "Can't ghosts float around though?" he said after a moment's thought.

Al became sulky as soon as he said that. "I'm not dead yet," he pouted, a cloud of gloom settling around him.

"No you aren't," Ed agreed hastily, "but try floating anyway."

Al cocked his head to the side. "How?"

"I don't know. Wriggle or scoot or something."

Al tried both plus a few more movements, but none of them seemed to do anything. They worked on it for nearly and hour, but Al didn't budge a single inch.

Ed scowled. "Dammit. This sucks," he shouted. He could have sworn he heard a chuckle from the other side of the room, but when he whipped his head over, he was greeted by the sight of Hao's back.

Al had to agree with Ed. "But at least I'm not just a bunch of metal anymore," he pointed out.

The Fullmetal Alchemist slumped over. That was true, but they were nowhere near their goal of bringing Al's body back fully. However, they were closer than they had ever been before.

Al smiled sadly at Ed. "We owe him nii-san."

As much as he hated to admit it, Ed knew it was the truth and it couldn't be denied. Now they were indebted to someone they barely even knew and could end up having to kill. _Why does life hate me so much?_ he wondered.

As Ed climbed back onto his bed, Hao smiled, still facing the wall. "You okay with staying there for the night?" he heard Ed ask. Still smiling, he turned onto his other side and watched the two brothers talk before shutting his eyes.

Meanwhile, Al nodded in answer to Ed's question and Ed shut the lights off. Tomorrow was soon enough for investigations.


	3. New Experiences

A/N: Just a quick thanks to everyone who reviewed. Thankies...

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or Shaman King.

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**ASecond Chance**

Chapter 3: New Experiences

Sleep is a blissful thing, but unfortunately, it never lasts. Such was the case for our three travelers who were awakened by an incessant pounding on their door.

"Room-service," a cross voice called, penetrating through the door and into the quiet hum of the room.

Ed groaned. There was a reason that he was still in bed, and it certainly wasn't beauty. "Come back later!" he shouted grumpily. He turned over as he heard the woman outside their room leave. Retreating back into the warm depths of his covers, Ed shut his eyes again, but alas, he would not sleep any longer. Hao had gotten up and was moving around the room, not trying even the slightest bit to be quiet. He moved around in the room for a while doing various things before taking his toiletries and entering the bathroom, the door slamming shut behind him. Ed scowled and sat up, grumbling under his breath about people who had no consideration for others. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned and began to stretch as Al's spirit watched. Seeing Al still sitting in the exact same spot, Ed smirked. "How you doing down there?"

Al glared at Ed. "Just cause your taller now doesn't mean anything. It's only because I don't have legs anyway."

Ed just shook his head. "Now you know what it feels like." He began to get out of bed when he thought of something. "Oy, Asakura!"

The bathroom door opened and Hao came out, a toothbrush in his mouth and his hair dripping water.

"Since you're the one who got Al like that, could you tell him how to move? He'll be even more of a nuisance if he can't even move on his own," Ed said, paying no heed to Hao's annoyed expression.

Hao frowned in return. "Link him with your furyoku," he said around his toothbrush. With that, his head disappeared back into the bathroom and the door shut again.

Ed looked at the closed door blankly. "Furyoku? What the hell is that?" he growled, coming back to himself. However, despite his shouting, the bathroom door didn't budge. "Asakura!"

Silence.

"Damn it Asakura! Get your ass out here!"

When nothing happened yet again, Al sighed. "Let it go, nii-san. He'll come out sooner or later."

Ed scowled. "Fine."

A few minutes later, Hao came out. His hair was still wet, but no longer dripping water and his eyes had returned to their customary nonchalant look. When he noticed that the two brothers were in the exact same spots he'd left them in, he let out a sigh of his own. "Did it work?"

Ed glared at him. "Did what work?"

"Can he move now?" Hao elaborated.

Ed put on a fake smile. "Well…that depends."

"On what?"

And there went Ed's last nerve. "IF I KNEW WHAT THE HELL _FURYOKU_ WAS, I WOULD TELL YOU! Unfortunately, I do not, so you'll have to deal."

Hao gave Ed an amused glance. "You don't know what furyoku is?"

If Ed had a gun, he probably would have shot himself at this point. Either Hao was extremely hard of hearing or he thought there was something funny about this. "Obviously not," Ed fumed, losing his patience (not that he hadn't already). "Would you care to enlighten us?"

Hao chuckled. "I am assuming, then, that you haven't heard of _shamans_ either?"

"Oh of course. There are shamans all over the place," Ed said sarcastically, before blowing up again. "WHAT THE HELL IS A _SHAMAN_?"

Hao shook his head. _And they call this a military._ "Alright Elric, history lesson." Ed opened his mouth, but Hao cut him off before he could speak. "No, shut up and listen for once." When Ed shut his mouth abruptly, Hao smiled and continued, "So, you want to know what a shaman is. Well, a shaman is, for the most part, an improved version of a human. They can see the spirits of the dead and can link those spirits to themselves. Then, using this link and furyoku, which I mentioned earlier, the shamans are able to use the dead who haven't passed on for something called spirit integration.

"Now then, that being said, something to keep in mind: there have always been shamans. As long as there were humans, there were shamans. Humans and shamans come together like yin and yang, good and bad, light and dark, et cetera, et cetera. And every 500 years, a shaman tournament is held."

Ed snorted. "Right, and all the little shaman fight each other to become the best shaman in the world," he said, intending to be sarcastic, but realized he had failed when Hao replied.

"Exactly, and the winner of the shaman tournament earns the title _shaman king_." Seeing the incredulous look on Ed's face, Hao smiled. "You're lucky too. This year is the next shaman tournament."

Unfortunately for Hao, Ed was a bit slow on the uptake and still didn't believe Hao, despite the latter's serious tone. However, on the bright side, Al seemed to be doing just fine.

"Ano, Asakura-san…" Al began and Hao faced him. "What does that have to do with us?"

"Well, seeing as not everyone knows about the shamans and I do, that would have to mean that…" Hao trailed off, letting the two alchemist brothers piece the rest of it together.

Eventually, Ed responded. "So you're saying that you're one of those _shaman_ people and you're in the shaman tournament so when we arrive at wherever you're from, we'll be attacked by other _shamans_?" He uttered the word _shaman_ slowly, as if he was testing how it felt on his tongue.

Hao nodded. "Which is exactly why I can't travel with anyone who isn't a shaman or they might get killed."

"But we're not shamans," Al pointed out.

"Not yet, but as long as you're in that form, Ed can use you as a spirit. That way, you'll be fighting together and you might stand a chance against the other shamans, once you get used to it."

Ed was getting lost. "Right, whatever, but that still doesn't tell me what furyoku is or how I'm supposed to use it to get Al to move."

Apparently, this was going to take a while. Hao moved back over to his bed and sat down. "Furyoku is basically a mix of physical stamina, mental capability, and spiritual energy. For the most part, it's mana. When used by a shaman, furyoku increases the damage of attacks depending on how much furyoku is used and what it is used for."

"Great. And that shows me how to make Al move, how?" Ed retorted.

"It doesn't. However, truth be told, the only reason why Al can't move is because he's acting as one of 'my' spirits, so to speak, right now."

"Then why the hell don't you make him _not_ your spirit?" Ed demanded.

"Because then he would just go back to the armor," Hao said, eyeing Ed calmly. "First, _you_ have to learn how to do some level of spirit integration before I can let him go."

Ed frowned. "Then hurry up and tell me what to do."

Hao smirked. "Patience, Elric. Patience. Anyway, there's really nothing to tell. You have to figure it out on your own."

Ed blanched. _He wasted all this time to tell me that? _"What do you mean 'I have to figure it out on my own?' I don't even know what you're talking about," he shouted.

"Just open your body to him and you'll get it sooner or later." That was all Hao said before leaving the Elrics yet again, for breakfast this time. Sadly, despite the three hours that Ed slaved away at it, it would be later rather than sooner that he achieved actual integration. On the other hand, he did manage to link Al's spirit to himself so the younger Elric was able to move once again, but by the time Hao came back, Ed had long since given up on integration and moved on to less frustrating matters.

At the moment, Ed was looking through the packet of papers that Lieutenant Hawkeye had given him before they'd left. When he saw Hao, he put the papers away and got up. "About time you came back. We need to get to this Tokyo place or whatever as soon as possible, and now that you're back, we can go. So, where's this gate of yours?"

Hao was silent, his mysterious smile the only sign of emotion on his face. He glanced at Ed and then at Al, walked into the room, grabbed his luggage, and walked out.

Ed took that to mean _Let's go_ and followed with his belongings, Al trailing behind in all his ghostly glory. Minutes later, they had checked out of the hotel and were out on the road. From there, Hao led the way, walking pointedly through the twists and turns of the alleyways as if he knew them as well as his own house. When he finally stopped, they were in the middle of a street. Children could be seen playing at one end and a small neighborhood rested at the other. There was no gate in sight.

"Ano…why are we stopping?" Al asked. "There's no gate here."

Hao sighed. "Obviously," he answered. "We have to open the gate." Without any further ado, he began to draw a transmutation circle on the ground. It was different from all the other ones that Ed had seen, but he could feel the pent up power surrounding the circle. When Hao's hands came in contact with it, everything around them lit up with the traditional blue light of alchemy, leaving nothing its original color. The bright cerulean intensified becoming a blinding white and their surroundings began to disappear into the vast expanse of light. Ed squinted to make seeing easier and barely made out signs of a gate with huge doors. The gate seemed to be moving towards them at an alarming rate and just when Ed thought they were going to smash into it, the doors flew open and they passed through without having to move a muscle. Ed turned around in an attempt to see what happened to the gate, but there was nothing behind him. Apparently, they had passed the gate and were no longer within sight of it. As Ed turned back around to face Hao, the light melted back into blue and eventually gave way to the colors of the scenery around them, scenery like none the Elrics had encountered before.

Huge buildings rose up in all directions and people bustled about around them. Cars honked crazily and voices filled the previous silence. The Elric brothers gaped at the city around them in wonder and Hao smirked.

"Welcome to Tokyo."

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A/N: Sorry, this chapter was rather uneventful. (Is the story moving to slow?) I'll try to update soon to make up for that. Speaking of updating, I'm going to try to update once a week, but I can't guarantee that it will happen. I might get bogged down with homework or tests or other stuff so yeah…anyway, please review. 


	4. Fitting In

A/N: Okay…I know that I said I would try to update once a week, but the week right after that, our school musical started and it was giving me hell…6 hours a day (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) the first week and then 4 hours a day (Wednesday through Saturday) the second week. On top of that, I had a whole bunch of homework and tests and I was drawing Easter cards for my friends too, so yeah…I really didn't have time to write. However, now that I am back, I am going to try to write more...maybe update once every other week instead though. That sounds more realistic for me. Anyway, thanks again for reviewing and I hope you like this chapter too.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or Shaman King.

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**A Second Chance**

Chapter 4: Fitting In

"Sugoi…" Al whispered, jaw slack with admiration at the multitude of skyscrapers and businesses surrounding them. "This is amazing."

Ed, on the other hand, had nothing to say, or if he did, he kept quiet. Silently, he watched the people walk by and the cars rush past, mouth hanging slightly open with disbelief. This was by far the most industrialized city that the Elrics had ever been. Not even Central was as high-tech as this place.

Hao watched the two and laughed inwardly to himself. He enjoyed their awe at the simple sight of the intersection immensely and almost wished he had a camera. There was nothing more entertaining than two people practically worshiping a tiny junction. Barely containing his amusement, he picked up his suitcase and got into the nearest taxi

Ed noticed Hao leaving them just as the shaman disappeared into the vehicle. Hurriedly, he picked up his luggage and followed, Al trailing behind. Once they were in, the taxi turned into the mass of traffic and inched its way along the road.

The ride was long, yet somehow Ed and Al managed to stay awake, staring out the windows for the whole trip. However, unlike them, Hao had no reason to stay awake so he slept instead. Finally, after nearly the whole day had passed, the car stopped in front of a huge estate and announced that they had reached their destination. Hao paid the man after their luggage was out and soon he was gone, driving off into the distance. Hao smiled, watching the car disappear down the slope and through the trees that led up to the mansion. "Well then, why don't we go inside?" He grabbed his suitcase once again and headed through the gates into the compound. He was just in front of the doors of the estate, when he noticed that the Elrics were still standing at the gate. "Don't you think you've done enough staring for today?" he called.

Ed came back to himself with a start and frowned. "Well, it's not like you told us anything about this Tokyo place. I mean, how were we supposed to know that it was ten times more industrialized than anything we're used to. And what the hell is up with this place? Why didn't you tell us you were filthy rich? God…make us pay for the whole trip and then bring us here. This place is big enough to house the whole military I bet," he ranted.

Hao smirked. "Maybe it just looks big to you because you're so small," he taunted.

"WHO DID YOU CALL SO SMALL THAT EVEN A BUG COULD SQUISH HIM?" Ed fumed. He clawed at the air and jumped up and down erratically, but was somehow held back by Al's ethereal hands. Finally, he calmed down and snatched up his stuff. Grumbling under his breath, he stormed passed Hao into the house, not caring which way he was going. The house was enormous, a huge maze of hallways, passages, and rooms. However, it seemed to be completely empty. After nearly ten minutes of wandering and having no idea where to put his stuff, Ed made his way back to the front where Hao and Al stood, apparently waiting for his return. "Where the hell am I supposed to leave this stuff?" he demanded.

Hao smiled. "Choose a room. It doesn't really matter which considering we won't be staying here much. After all, we are supposed to tour the city." Still smiling, he sauntered off through the hallway that Ed had just come through.

Ed shivered. "Damn he's creepy." He looked at Al. "So, which room d'you want?"

Al shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"I guess not." Sighing, Ed shoved their stuff into the closest room and collapsed onto the floor. He was about to drift off into slumber when Hao walked into the room. He leaned against the wall and watched as Ed went from seconds-until-sleeping to wide-awake-and-staring-back-suspiciously.

"How long you planning on laying there? We have to go sometime you know," Hao asked after a few seconds of silence.

Ed got up, grumbling yet again. "Fine, let's go already."

"Like that?" Hao's voice was quizzical if not outright disbelieving.

Ed looked down at himself. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Well…nothing if you want to look like an idiot."

Ed snorted. "You're one to talk."

Hao sighed. "I'll change later. Now, are you going to change or what?"

"Fine," Ed snarled. "What the hell am I supposed to change into though?"

Hao smirked. Reaching through the doorway and behind the wall, he produced a pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt and handed them to Ed who eyed the garments wearily. "They're practically the same as the stuff I've got on."

Al sighed. "Nii-san, just put it on."

Hao nodded. "It's a hell of a lot less formal and probably more comfortable too. That suit thing looks stiff."

Grumbling under his breath about people who were too picky about looks, Ed entered the bathroom attached to the bedroom they were in. He changed quickly and exited, his original clothing draped over one arm.

After Hao had looked Ed over carefully, he smiled. "Much better, but you should probably take the gloves off too."

"Better?" Ed breathed, annoyed. "This is the itchiest thing I've ever worn in my entire life." Scowling at Hao, he dumped himself on the floor and began scratching his legs. "What the hell are they made of anyway?"

Hao's eyes crinkled with mirth. "They're jeans."

"Right…" Apparently, jeans weren't a part of Ed's vocabulary. "So now what?"

"Now I go change and then we leave."

The shaman turned and walked into the labyrinth of corridors that made up the house. Once his footsteps died away, Ed let out an enormous, heartfelt sigh. "Finally! Stupid Asakura is getting on my nerves."

Al gave his brother an understanding look. "I know, but he could be the only way we'll be able to see okaa-san again." Ed nodded. "Demo…nii-san?"

Ed looked up at Al, laying himself back onto the floor. "Hai?"

"I've been thinking. You know how he said that I can be your spirit?"

Ed nodded again, but his eyes were questioning.

"Well, I've been wondering where _his_ spirit is," Al continued, his eyes unfocusing as he stared into space. "I mean, we've never seen it and he hasn't mentioned it so I was beginning to wonder if he has one at all."

Ed waved his hand at Al absently, dismissing his worries as trivial. "Of course he does. I'm sure we'll see it sooner or later. He just hasn't needed it yet. Why does it matter if he has one anyway?"

Al looked down. "Because if he doesn't, how will we know if he can bring okaa-san back or not?"

Ed froze. Al was right. However, as of now, there was nothing the two of them could do about it, so Ed just shook his head. "It'll be fine, Al. Don't worry."

Al smiled sadly and nodded. "Hai," he whispered. He was about to say something else when he was cut off abruptly by Hao's voice calling out.

"Alright, let's go!" A second later, Hao walked passed the room, waving them to follow with his hand. The two trailed after him and walked outside. It had gotten considerably darker since they had gone inside and the ground was now bathed only in a warm orange glow. The sun was setting and could be seen sinking beneath the high-rise buildings. Ed and Al gasped at the sight as they watched the soft tangerine light shine between the gaps of the buildings. Hao shook his head at them. "And here I was thinking that you two had finally gotten used to this place."

Al hung his head in embarrassment, but Ed just glared at the shaman. After a few seconds, his glare turned into a thoughtful gaze. Now dressed like Ed in jeans and a t-shirt, Hao seemed out of place in the clothes. It seemed he too was more at home in his original apparel.

"Are you quite finished staring?" Hao asked after a moment, his voice taunting.

Ed's glare returned. With a slight huff, he began walking purposefully down a path that he found among the trees.

"Ano…nii-san, are you sure that's the right way?" Al called, worry evident in his voice. When he received no answer, he turned to Hao. "Asakura-san, _is_ that the right way?"

Hao smiled. "It's as good as any." With that, he began down the path as well, Al floating along behind, uncertainty written on all of his features.

They walked for nearly ten minutes when Ed stopped suddenly. "Why the hell haven't we seen anyone or anything yet?" he demanded, eyes fixated on Hao.

"This is a scenic route," the shaman replied nonchalantly as if he thought Ed was aware of that the whole time.

"THIS IS WHAT! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING EARLIER?" Ed seethed.

Hao shrugged. "You seemed to be rather intent on going this way. I doubt you'd have listened anyway."

"You should have said something anyway," Ed admonished, indignant.

Hao shrugged again. "Makes no difference now." He began walking again, leaving the two brothers behind him, staring as he walked off.

"Nii-san, it's fine. Calm down."

Ed sighed. "Fine, let's go." Shoving his hands into his pockets again, he followed Hao down the meandering path. Al shook his head and did the same, all the while wondering if they would ever complete their mission. As they walked, they passed by trees and streams, which by that time had all become nothing more than a blur of color and a splash of sound. Once it began to get darker, a slight breeze came and the leaves rustled as it pulled at them gently. Soon it was completely dark out aside from the light of the moon and Al's soft glow.

"Ano," Al began, "shouldn't we go back now?"

Hao nodded. "In a bit, I think I hear something." His mysterious smile returned to his lips and he walked towards a clump of trees.

Glancing at each other, Ed and Al moved closer to the clump of trees as well. Then, breathing softly, they heard muffled voices that seemed to get louder and louder. After a minute or so, they could tell that whoever was talking, was either extremely loud or screaming at the top of their lungs. They could almost make out a few words, but then another voice would drown the former out. The screaming increased in volume and Hao stepped away, moving to the far left. Ed furrowed his brow in confusion, but stood where he was. Suddenly, a mass of people came flying through the air and landed on top of him. He gasped and tried to tell them to get off, but the sound of his voice was dominated by their groans and complaints. Unable to breathe, Ed's vision began to black out. He nearly passed out when all of the weight on him was lifted. Scowling, he jumped to his feet immediately. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT? ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL PEOPLE?"

"Depends. Who are you anyway?" Ed heard a voice ask.

"Doesn't matter," another voice replied.

Ed was starting to get annoyed and being temporarily blind wasn't helping either. "Asakura, what the hell is going on?"

Ed heard a fast intake of breath in front of him. "You know an Asakura?"

"What's his first name?"

Ed scowled. "Hao! Get your ass out here."

"Hao!" all of the voices asked, incredulous. Ed heard a whoosh and then wind began to whip at him. The clanging of metal on metal followed soon after and then there was silence.

"Asakura-san?" Al's voice sounded nervous as he whispered the name.

Confused, Ed waited until his vision began to clear and then looked around. The vision he saw was the thing he least expected to see.

Hao's voice rang out in the silence as he smiled at the congregation in front of him. "Long time no see, Yoh…"

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A/N: So…I know that I probably should have made this chapter longer to make up for not updating in more than a month, but I'm writing three stories at once, plus drawing a manga and making pictures for my friends so my creative spirit is dying. Nonetheless, I will try very hard to update soon so please review. Criticism is gratefully received and flames will be read, thought about, and most likely, laughed at, so yeah…REVIEW! You know you want to… 


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